March 2, 1675, Woodfort City, Two Rivers County.
In his study, Victor read a telegram sent from far away. When he grasped what it said, he froze.
He turned sharply to Orlando. "His Majesty suddenly fell ill and died on the battlefield?"
"Yes, Your Grace," Orlando replied. "Our intelligence team sent this report!
"We've also cross-checked it against Duke Alex's sources. It appears to be true."
Victor shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. Even if it's true, how could the news get out so quickly?
"His Majesty was personally leading the campaign, and then he suddenly fell ill and died on the battlefield. How could news like that spread without anyone trying to conceal it?
"According to your report, barely half a day has passed since his death, yet the news has already reached Vela.
"If we know, doesn't that mean the whole Raine Kingdom knows?"
Victor was not surprised that the king had died. His condition had been poor for some time, and he had spent a long stretch unconscious.
What shocked Victor was how quickly such momentous news had spread, with no attempt to hide it. The implications were chilling.
The Raine Kingdom's domestic situation had looked promising. Now, with the king's sudden death, its future had grown uncertain.
Throughout 1674, the Raine Kingdom had been in an excellent position.
After annexing the East Sea Alliance, the kingdom withdrew eight regular legions from the front, leaving six to garrison its newly conquered territory.
It also merged the East Sea Alliance's lands with the Vela Region and divided them into three provinces: Upper Vela Province, which included the former Vela Northern Frontier, central and eastern Vela, and part of the south, covering 340,000 square kilometers; Lower Vela Province, which included western Vela, part of the south, and the